Chilhowie NS/Truck Collision

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

At least nobody was killed... and it didn't mess up a horsehead front.. just one of those borrowed BNSF units...
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
  To: Joe Shaw ; Richard Shell ; Dean Taylor ; Bill Thompson ; virginianrailwayenthusiast at yahoogroups.com ; virginianrailwayenthusiasts at yahoogroups.com ; Derek Wimberly ; Mark Wood ; Larry Ziegler ; William Honeycutt ; Tom Jeffery ; Ned Johnson ; Ed King ; Mike King ; Dick Larrsen ; Robert McCracken ; Daniel Mulhearn ; Mark and Ann Musser ; norfolk-western-rr at yahoogroups.com ; nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org ; Gary Price ; Ed Saunders ; Joe Allison ; Sidney Blankenbeckler ; Ben Blevins ; Ben Blevins ; Tom Blevins ; Jim Bonham ; Erwin Brosam ; Ed Chaffin ; Mt.Rogers Railroad Club ; Noel Collins ; Bill Cox ; David Crabtree ; George Daughtery ; Fred Dimit ; Mike Dodd ; Robb Fisher ; Shane Flick ; Clinton Foster ; dan george ; Dan George ; Dan George ; J. Brent Greer ; Bob Riffe 
  Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 9:32 PM
  Subject: Chilhowie NS/Truck Collision


  Today, at about 1:30pm, there was a grade crossing collision between a tractor trailer, and NS 23G on the Bristol line.  The 23G (I believe this was the train number) was an eastbound double stack that was passing through Chilhowie, VA at the Rt 600 crossing, when it struck an 18 wheeler that was heading towards Int. 81 (South) entrance.

  It is my understanding that the driver of the truck leaped from the cab of  his vehicle before the impact of the locomotive.  My belief is that there was a vehicle in front of the truck that had stopped just past the crossing to turn left (East) on the road that runs parallel to the NS track and runs along the park in Chilhowie.  I believe that the truck driver had stopped with his cab on the tracks to wait for the car to turn, when the train approached.

  The track speed through Chilhowie is about 45 mph, and the double stacks are usually doing this when they come through.  I have watched many trains at this crossing, and from the time they round the curve west of the crossing to they get to the crossing, is at least 40 seconds at track speed.

  One thing that surprised me though was the fact that 23G got the lead loco stopped within 0.2 of a mile from the impact point at the crossing.  Even if the engineer of 23G had put his train into emergency as soon as he rounded the curve and could see the truck, he still got the train stopped within about 1/2 of a mile.  I would be surprised if he was doing the permitted speed through here and would be able to stop within the relatively short distance.

  There was a circus that had set up in the field at the Chilhowie Park beside the NS tracks that day, and I wonder if the railroad had put in slow orders for this area because of this.  If so, this would explain the fairly quick stop of the train, and would seem to have been very fortunate for both the crew as well as the truck driver.

  One thing I overheard on the scanner from one of Virginia State Troopers that was working the wreck, was that the engineer was in the cab, and would not leave to talk to anyone until NS personnel showed up at the site of the collision.  

  About one hour after the collision, they broke the train in half at the crossing to allow traffic to cross, and the wreckage of the truck was cleared up at about 3:00pm.  Of course, rail traffic had stacked up on both sides of the collision, and later this evening I saw two east bounds come through about 15 minutes apart, and both were moving at restricted speed through the area.

  I took several pictures of the collision that I am going to send, but in deference to those with dial up, I am going to send them in separate emails.  These photos are not 56k friendly, so you have the option of opening them up if you choose.

  We all need to remember....Stop, Look and Listen.

  Jerry Hammond



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